Mayors say cities face snub to help wealthy shires

SOUTH YORKSHIRE metro mayor Dan Jarvis has warned that city regions look set to lose out in a funding review of local authorities.

Mr Jarvis, along with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotherham and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, has said that areas like these could be snubbed over ‘wealthy English shires’.

They have argued that the Government’s forthcoming Spending Review risks causing ‘serious damage’ to the communities they serve by ‘taking money away from cities and giving it to the wealthiest shires’ instead.

The Government’s Fair Funding Settlement is due to be completed by April 2020.

The three mayors believe that successive governments – of all political allegiances – have ‘failed to narrow the gap between rich and poor areas, and to revive towns depressed for decades’.

They added that cities and rural areas ‘should not be in competition’ with each other and the Government should instead focus on ‘making the entire country more prosperous rather than investing in rural areas at the expense of cities’.

Mr Jarvis, Sheffield City Region mayor, said: “The Comprehensive Spending Review is a crucial moment for city regions and our communities.

“It is an opportunity for Government to give regions across the country the funding needed to tackle some of the big issues we face, such as on transport, skills and building infrastructure fit to face the challenges of the 21st century.”

He said he would continue to work closely with other metro mayors over the issue.

Mr Jarvis added: “Local authorities in South Yorkshire have seen substantial cuts to the tune of £536m over the last eight years, which has placed an unacceptable burden on councils and the vital services they provide to communities. I will continue to work closely with other metro mayors to ensure that our city regions do not lose out to wealthier areas, and instead benefit from the inclusive economic growth our residents and our communities rightly deserve.”